Category: Philadelphia

bookmark_borderThe Philadelphia Sketch Club's 150th Anniversary Exhibition at City Hall

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JOIN US
Thursday, September 2nd,
City Hall 5th floor, NE corner
5-7 pm
in celebration of:

The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s
150th Anniversary Exhibition at City Hall

John Ennis, “Reservations”, oil on canvas.

Philadelphia – The City of Philadelphia’s Art In City Hall exhibition program introduces an exhibition by the Philadelphia Sketch Club in celebration of it’s 150th anniversary. 120 paintings, drawings, photographs and prints adorn the 5th floor corridor near the Offices of City Council and the balcony overlooking Council Chambers. The exhibit runs from September 2nd – October 22, 2010 and is located on the fifth floor, North corridor of City Hall. Visitors should sign in at the NE corner visitor’s entrance and take the elevator to the fifth floor. A reception open to the general public is scheduled for Thursday, September 2nd , from 5-7 pm.

The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s 150th Anniversary Members Exhibition at City Hall celebrates the 150th anniversary of America’s oldest artists club. The Sketch Club was founded on November 20, 1860, by six former students of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) who wanted to improve their skills at illustration. From these early meetings it became apparent the artists benefited from social exchange, seeing the works of others, mutual encouragement and a unique camaraderie. The Club’s membership soon included many painters, sculptors, print makers and art critics who would make their mark on American art history. Important early members included A. B. Frost, Thomas Moran, Edward Moran, Daniel Ridgway Knight and Howard Roberts. In the mid-1870s Thomas Eakins taught life classes at the Sketch Club and used that experience to become an instructor at PAFA when they opened the Furness building in 1876. It was during this time that Eakins painted Philadelphia’s most important painting, The Gross Clinic. In 1912 N. C. Wyeth held his first solo exhibition in the Sketch Club’s gallery. These are but a few of the important highlights from the Club’s history. Linked by their location on the 200 block of South Camac Street to the Plastic Club, an early women’s art club, both clubs remained single gender organizations until 1990. Today, over 50% of the Sketch Club’s members are women. The Club continues today with the same zeal as it did in its early days to fulfill its mission to support and nurture working visual artists, the appreciation of the visual arts, visual arts education and the value of the visual arts to the community.

This exhibition, supported by Art In City Hall and the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, presents a comprehensive look at art being produced by contemporary Philadelphia Sketch Club members. The exhibition is part of a number of 150th anniversary celebratory exhibitions arranged by the Sketch Club at important venues to include the National Constitution Center, Brandywine River Museum, Athenaeum of Philadelphia, Berman Museum of Art, James A. Michener Art Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Woodmere Art Museum and the Free Library of Philadelphia. You can learn more about the Sketch Club at www.sketchclub.org.

Art In City Hall is a collaborative effort between the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy and the arts community. It is supported by an independent Advisory Council made up of arts professionals and private citizens. Since the program began in 1984, over 2000 emerging artists have shown their talents in the hallways of City Hall through juried group exhibitions based on specific themes. In addition to these exhibitions, the program also displays artwork from Philadelphia’s schools, other city agencies, local non-profits, and community arts organizations. For more information, visit: www.phila.gov/artincityhall or join us on www.Facebook.com.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=200049&id=106611054824&saved#!/album.php?aid=200049&id=106611054824&ref=mf

The mission of the Office of Arts Culture and the Creative Economy is to improve access to the arts for both residents and visitors and to expand arts education for young people. The Office also coordinates with relevant City agencies to unify the City’s arts efforts, oversees all the City’s arts programs, and serves as a liaison between the City’s many cultural institutions. Furthermore, the Office supports the growth and development of the City’s arts, culture, and creative economy sector, by promoting public and private investment. In addition to the Office’s focus on the nonprofit arts sector, it also focuses on the many aspects of the larger arts and culture industry including individual artists, design industries, music clubs and other entertainment ventures.

PRESS CONTACTS ONLY:
Tu Huynh, 215-686-9912 September 2010

bookmark_borderCelebration of Student Art in Philadelphia City Hall

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JOIN THE OFFICE OF ARTS, CULTURE AND THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
IN CELEBRATION OF STUDENT ART IN CITY HALL
SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 4-6 PM
THE ART GALLERY AT CITY HALL, ROOM 116
EAST PORTAL MARKET ST. ENTRANCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

A-PLUS ART
Annual City Hall Celebration of Student Art

Philadelphia, PA – The Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, in collaboration with The School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Comprehensive Arts Education presents “A-Plus Art”, a student art exhibition featuring some of the best works from Philadelphia’s public schools. The exhibition is located in the newly renovated Art Gallery At City Hall, Room 116 East Portal Market St. entrance. It runs thru October 1st. A reception is scheduled for September 29, from 4-6 pm.

“A-Plus Art” is a selection of some of the best art from students in Philadelphia’s public schools. Each year, The School District of Philadelphia organizes an exhibition of approximately 1,500 works of art at the School District Administration Building on North Broad St. 44 pieces were chosen by an independent panel, including group projects from grade K – 12 from a number of schools in all areas of the city. Each participating student will receive a Mayoral Certificate of Artistic Achievement.

The exhibition recognizes quality arts education as vitally important to the critical development of our youth. Dr. Dennis Creedon, the Director of Comprehensive Arts Education, and Tessie Varthas, Content Specialist-Art Education were instrumental in the organization of this exhibition.

Gary Steuer, Chief Cultural Officer and Director of the Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy:
When I was a young public school student in New York City MANY years ago, I exhibited in a similar show of the best work by public school students. I still remember the pride and optimism it gave me as a young artist. I am honored to now be able to pass on that experience to this very talented group of students, and I wish them great success!

The new Art Gallery At City Hall was created by the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy to further enliven City Hall with arts and culture. The exhibitions highlight the work of Philadelphia arts and cultural organizations, including an annual exhibition of student art. As Gary Steuer notes, “It is a tangible representation of the value this City places on its arts, culture and heritage community, and will bring the power of the arts to the many City workers and visitors who pass through City Hall every day.”

The mission of the Office of Arts Culture and the Creative Economy is to improve access to the arts for both residents and visitors and to expand arts education for young people. The Office also coordinates with relevant City agencies to unify the City’s arts efforts, oversees all the City’s arts programs, and serves as a liaison between the City’s many cultural institutions. Furthermore, the Office supports the growth and development of the City’s arts, culture, and creative economy sector, by promoting public and private investment. In addition to the Office’s focus on the nonprofit arts sector, it also focuses on the many aspects of the larger arts and culture industry including individual artists, design industries, music clubs and other entertainment ventures.

PRESS CONTACTS ONLY:
Tu Huynh, 215-686-9912 August 2010
artincityhall@phila.gov

bookmark_borderPlastics Recycling in Philadelphia

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#5 plastics recycling & more this Saturday at Weaver’s Way Co-Op in Mt. Airy!

Fellow Recyclers,

The next collection of #5 plastics will be this coming Saturday, June 19th, from 10am to 1pm at the garage of the Weavers Way Co-op, at 542 Carpenter Lane (across the street and a bit further down the block from the Big Blue Marble bookstore).

Please note that we will also be taking used household batteries and egg cartons!

Also, as you know, we ask recyclers for a small donation to cover postage costs of mailing the recyclables to the Gimme 5 processing facility in New York state. Any donations not needed to cover our costs will go into the Weavers Way environment committee’s recycling fund, from which grants are given to various environmental community projects every spring. Since we no longer have a major funding source for the grants, you are encouraged to be generous in what you donate at the collections!.

There are a several work shifts open for this Saturday’s collection. You can sign up the help us on the Weavers Way work calendar or by replying to this email. Experienced helpers are especially needed!

If you haven’t already signed up for Philadelphia’s Recycling Rewards program, which starts in NW Philly next month, Carolyn Scott can sign you up at Saturday’s collection.

See you then!

Stevik
– for the Weavers Way Environment Committee

Gimme 5 Collection Guidelines

The #5 plastics category includes most yogurt cups, sour cream containers, hummus tubs, some medicine bottles, and more. Your recyclables must be clean and dry to be accepted. Impurities of any kind compromise the recycling process and can lead the recycling facility to discard an entire batch. Exclude any lids unless they are clearly marked #5.

We ask recyclers for a small donation to cover postage costs of mailing the recyclables to the Gimme 5 processing facility in New York state.

Before bringing your #5s to the collection, be sure that they meet the requirements for Gimme 5:

* All items must be CLEAN and DRY. If they contained food or any oily or dirty product, make sure they have been washed, not just rinsed. Items stacked when wet tend to stay wet, so allow washed items to dry fully before stacking or packing.
* The #5 stamp needs to be visible on each item. Lids are separate items. Don’t assume lids are the same number plastic as the container; sometimes they are but usually they are not. Check to make sure there are no other materials (labels, paper, other number plastics, metal) on the items you bring in.

Brita filters are also welcome! Let them air dry for several days to make sure they are completely dry.